Just Past Midnight
by twigran
Summary: What happened beyond? This is my story of how it might have been. All characters, etc., belong solely to Stephenie Meyer
1. Chapter 1 Volturi Visit

"Carlisle, you've simply done a marvelous job, my friend," Aro's warm smile did not reach his muddy eyes as he stepped forward to greet Dr. Carlisle Cullen as he entered the Cullen house. "I never cease to be amazed."

"And just what is it that amazes you, Aro?" Carlisle's eyes reflected his skepticism. He removed his coat, which was really only one of the props he used in his life as a doctor. Of course, vampires never got cold. They defined cold. Esme came to stand next to him and placed her hand in his.

"Wasn't it nice of Aro to pay us a little visit, Carlisle?" Esme sensed the tension in Carlisle and sought to defuse it. The warmth of her personality spread through the room, wasted on the Italian vampire.

"Yes...yes, it was." He smiled at his wife, a silent message passing between them in their look. No need to read minds with Esme. She read his soul.

"What amazes me, Carlisle, is the control you have over your little coven here." Aro laughed his usual insincere laugh. "I'd like to know what your secret to maintaining such a hold over them for so long. It's exhausting for us in Italy, and we still manage to lose a few... rejects, I like to call them."

"Well, actually, Aro, it's really quite simple. We don't spend all our time hunting humans. Therefore, we have more time and ability and control to actually build relationships with one another. One of the many advantages to our "vegetarian" ways."

"Seems a lot of work, if you ask me." He turned to Esme. "So, where are all the lovely young Cullens?"

"Well, we're a bit spread out at the moment, Aro." Esme smiled. "As you probably already know."

"Yes, we are. Temporarily." Carlisle smiled slightly, feeling a bit exposed by the admission. The Cullens divided was an uncomfortable thought.

"Ah."

"So, Aro, where's your guard? I'm sure you're not alone on this trip."

"True." Aro turned to look out the windowed wall of the house. The day was coming to an end. It was twilight once again. "Alec and Jane stopped off in town..."

"What?!" Carlisle rushed forward as Aro raised his stand to stop him.

"They're simply checking out the town. Security is so very very important, you know."

"Aro- get them out of Forks NOW!"

"As you wish, Carlisle." Surprisingly, Aro slid a cell phone from the folds of his robe and dialed, in no hurry. "Jane – I want you and Alec to come to the Cullen home. Now, please."

Carlisle and Esme exchanged glances as they watched the ancient vampire. Esme could not suppress a shudder. Her husband squeezed her hand and they both gasped at Aro's next words.

"No….. I don't care how _interesting _you're finding the local wildlife, Jane, " Aro smiled broadly as he saw the Cullens' reaction. "Get here at once. I have business, and then we must move on."

"I sincerely hope they're not going to make things difficult for us here in Forks, Aro." Carlisle admonished mildly as Aros disconnected the call. The guard would do as he ordered. It was the nature of the Volturi. They had no choice.

"No, no, my friend. Jane is far smarter than that." Aro moved to place his hand on Carlisle's shoulder, gently laughing. "She's such a child still, in many ways. She cannot help playing with her food still from time to time. Not that they're dining in your little town….. please. They have so little opportunity to observe humans in their day to day lives. It is a novelty they cannot resist at times."

"And Alec?"

"Oh, no. In many ways, though Jane is more powerful in her gifts, Alec is the stronger of the two when it comes to… resistance. I assure you, Carlisle and Esme, you have nothing to worry about. Besides, I allowed them to feed before we entered your range here."

"Good." Carlisle smiled with a small sense of relief. "Alice and Jasper are about to arrive."

They all turned toward the door, expectantly, where in just a few seconds, Jasper appeared.

"Jasper." Carlisle exchanged glances with the younger vampire. "Where is Alice?"

"Oh," Jasper smiled warily, glancing toward the ancient vampire who stood so still in his enfolding gray robes. "She'll be along. She wanted to stop by Charlie's on the way in. It seems he's collected some things for Resnesmee, and with his having a cold, Sue won't let him out of the house."

"Ah," Aro sighed with extremely obviously disappointment. Alice was his very favorite among the Cullens. He coveted her and her powers. The young vampire before him sensed this so they each recognized the competition in each other. "Little Alice. I do so hope to see her before I have to return to Volterra."

"I'm sure she will be disappointed, as well, Aro." Jasper knew that Alice had seen Aro here, which was why _she _was not here herself. Stopping by Charlie's had been a convenient necessity. She had no desire to be in the same room as Aro.

"Young man, I have not had the pleasure of meeting you before." Aro watched Jasper closely.

"No." Jasper hesitated before going on. They both knew he was lying. "I am sorry that circumstances have prevented our meeting before now."

"Oh, well, better late than never." Aro's words were to the room. Jasper had his eyes turned to Carlisle and Esme, pretending not to see the hand that Aro had extended. The last thing he wanted was for Aro to read the truth about Alice's absence from his touch. "Ah, here are Jane and Alec."

The Cullens automatically stiffened and stepped away slightly as Jane and Alec entered the house.

"Jane, Alex, have you enjoyed your time in Forks?" Aro smiled, slyly.

"Oh, Master….. the humans here are so _interesting._" Jane exclaimed, clapping her hands in childish delight. "There truly is an advantage to being incognito around them. It's absolutely _delicious_ the way they go on with their lives, as if we are not even there."

"Well, until Jane got carried away and wanted to stand in line at that McDonald's place." Alec chuckled. "They lost quite a few customers when she asked the man in front of her what his blood type was."

The Cullens gaped at the exchange that was taking place. Aro's eyes snapped and the younger vampires became silent.

"Well, let us get to the business at hand and we can be on our way." His teeth glittered as he glanced around the room.


	2. Chapter 2 Command Appearance

Chapter 2

"Carlisle," Aro played with strands of Jane's hair nonchalantly, "There is something that we need to discuss.

The reason for my sudden….. visit."

"Oh, Aro, I never doubted that you had something other than a casual stopover planned." Carlisle Cullen stood taller and stiffened as he realized that Aro was finally getting to the point.

"Ha, ha, I see you still have your delightful sense of humor." Aro's eyes narrowed as he watched the Cullen patriarch. "I do so miss that still, in spite of the fact that you've been away from the family for so long, Carlisle."

There was silence in the room.

"Yes, well….." Carlisle watched the ancient vampire intently.

"Carlisle, I really must ask an enormous favor of you."

"And what would that be?"

"We would like to have the child – the child of Edward and Bella – what did you say her name was again?"

"Renesmee?" Carlisle and Esme exchanged glances. "What on earth would be your need for Renesmee?"

"We wish to study and examine her. As you are aware, she's one of a rare type. We want to know more."

"You are out of your mind, Aro. I will not tolerate this, and neither will Edward or Bella."

"I'm afraid you won't have much choice, Carlisle." The smile never reached his eyes. "It's already been decided. Caius and Marcus both agree this time. We want the girl in Volterra….. as soon as possible."

Carlisle strode quickly toward Aro, his hands raised defensively. Esme watched in horror as he dropped to his knees, his face filled with agony. Her glance flew to Jane, who was smiling sweetly at Carlisle.

"Not a good idea, Carlisle. Release him, Jane. How many times do I have to tell you not to do that unless I speak your name first? Is it so very hard to follow instructions?" The muddy, blood-tinged eyes turned to the powerful vampire who looked to be no more than a child.

"I'm so very sorry, Master! I thought –"

"You thought wrong. Carlisle knows better." Then as he turned back to face his friend, "Now, Carlisle. We will expect the girl to be in Volterra within the month. That should allow her parents time to make whatever arrangements and plant whatever stories you "vegetarians" seem so fond of taking care of to cover yourselves with the humans that you insist on interacting with in such non-dietary ways." Without moving his gaze, he spoke to his guard. "Jane – Alex – let us be on our way. The Cullens have much to prepare for."

"But, Aro –" Carlisle's usual cool demeanor had vanished, as had the three visiting vampires. He had been shaken to the core by the demand the ancient vampire had made. Renesmee, the darling of the Cullen clan, was being _ordered _to appear before the "royal family" of the vampire world. If Aro had come around the world to make this demand himself, this could _not _bode well for the Cullens. Any of them.


	3. Chapter 3 Coming Home

Chapter 3

**(Note: Sorry it's been so long since I was here to update, but some how RL got in the way again.)**

Edward paced. He always paced when he was anxious, and this time he had reason enough to be anxious. Bella sat, shaking her head as in disbelief. Edward had spoken to Carlisle by cell phone earlier on Isle Esme. Some second honeymoon this turned out to be. After the call, they hurriedly packed without speaking, and rushed to catch the earliest flight out.

They sat in the airport, waiting for the flight.

"This is not going to happen, Edward. I won't let them have Renesmee. I won't." For a moment, the stubbornness of the human Bella flickered through Edward's mind. The vampire Bella was worse. He stopped pacing and rushed to kneel next to Bella's chair. Their hands automatically joined.

"Of course not, Love. Never." Edward gave her the heartbreaking smile that she loved so. "We'll hide first. We'll take Renesmee away…… far away."

"Yes, but….. can we actually hide from the Volturi? They still have the ability to find us, don't they? No matter where we go?"

"It will not be pleasant, Bella." Edward reached to stroke her cheek. "We'll have to keep moving from place to place, to stay ahead of them. _If _they come after us at all."

"What do you mean if? There's no question of it. You know once Aro has his mind set on something he wants, he's not going to rest until he gets it. _He wants our daughter, Edward._"

"Well…."

"Edward, Aro's dream has always been to have you at his one side, and Alice at the other. It's an obsession by now. If he can't have you, he will take our daughter. Once he finds out what gifts she has, he will never let her go. She will be forced to stay with the Volturi and live—" her voice broke, "_that life._"

"Now, Bella. Let's not worry needlessly. We need to find out more." Edward frowned, thoughtfully. "As soon as we're back in Forks, I'm sure Carlisle will have some ideas as to what we might do."

"But what about Renesmee, Edward. She's sitting there at Dartmouth, not knowing a thing."

"Perhaps we should make a detour and pay her a visit. She doesn't come home nearly enough, if you ask me."

As their flight was called, Edward spoke again. "Yes, we will change our flight plans in Houston and fly to Vermont. It's best we talk to Nessie face to face about this."

"She's going to really freak out, you know. She's never really been exposed to the dark side of our world, except for the last time the Volturi were in Forks. They came to _destroy _her then, and they'll try it again now. I just know it."

"Rest, Bella," Edward murmured as they settled in their seats for the long flight. He held her in his arms as the plane taxied and took off. As the last of the light in the sky over Rio faded, he hummed Bella's lullaby. Her mind wandered and she came as close to sleeping as she ever would again.


	4. Chapter 4 Nessie in Forks

Chapter 4

"OK, Nahuel, give me a break." Nessie smiled into her cell phone. "I know I owe you a trip South, but at the moment, I'm up to my ears in exams."

His voice became a blur through the phone, and had she not had super-human hearing, she never would have understood him. The boy was clearly perturbed. Nessie sighed, feeling the slightest pressure, then brightened a bit. She felt the calming in his voice.

"I _will_ be coming to visit, Nahuel. As soon as I can get free here, I'll be on my way. Yes, I know it's been months."

There was a knock at her dorm room door.

"Yes. I will." She turned and raised her voice toward the door. "Come in!"

Her face registered the shock when the door opened to reveal her parents standing outside the room. Without hesitating, though, she waved them in.

"Nahuel, my parents just came for a surprise visit." She giggled into the phone. "No, no. I'm not lying to get you off the phone. Here, listen." She held out the phone toward her mother.

"Hello, Nahuel!" Bella laughed as Nessie listened into the phone again.

"OK, I will call you soon. Take care. Love you too."

Edward's brow lifted sharply at her last words. Was there something else their daughter had neglected to tell them about her relationship with the young Latin boy? Nessie folded her phone, breaking the connection, smiling a small secret smile. Her father was a born worrier.

"Daddy, Momma!" She threw herself into their arms. "What a surprise! I had no idea you were coming for a visit! Why didn't you call me?"

"Well, it was a last-minute decision, Nessie." Her father still had a half-stern look on his face. "Now, what's this with Nahuel? Is there something your mother and I should know?"

"Oh, Daddy!" Renesmee laughed at his expression and planted a kiss on his cold cheek. "You knew that Nahuel and I had been keeping in touch by phone and letter. We've been doing so for a long time now. And, I guess I forgot to tell you that he was here to visit a couple of months ago. He does want me to go there for a visit, but I haven't decided when yet. I have to wait for a break in school, of course."

"Resnesmee, is there something between you and Nahuel?" Bella's expression was concerned. Her daughter was much too young, even in terms of her maturity for a serious and exclusive relationship. If there was even a hint that this was what was budding between the two children who were so similar to each other, it had to be stopped at once. Renesmee's future was sealed in Quileute legend, an unbreakable destiny. "You know you still have two years left in college, and of course, you have Jake to consider."

"I know, Mama." Nessie rolled her eyes and grinned at her parents. "Nahuel and I are just friends. Of course, I know my responsibility to Jacob. He will always come first in my life. He completely understands about Nahuel. We are the same, so of course, there would be a bond between us. And of course, Nahuel knows and understands my future with Jacob is unbreakable. We are friends."

"Very well." Edward relaxed, visibly. "Then your mother and I won't worry."

Of course, he spoke for himself. As a mother, Bella worried about their only daughter constantly. And now, this new development. She had no clue how to tell her what had happened. She was only five years old chronologically, but in maturity, their daughter was a woman already, fully developed both physically and mentally. Bella worried about her emotional development, but usually her worry was needless.

"Nessie, your mother and I made this little side trip on our way back from Isle Esme for a purpose." Edward and I exchanged glances, neither of them sure how this should progress.

"Oh, and how was the second honeymoon, you two?" Their daughter smiled, amused.

"The trip was…. Refreshing." Edward smiled and cleared his throat. His eyes took in the beauty of their young daughter, the best of both Bella and himself. And he had not known there was a best for him.

"Didn't you just leave just over a week ago, though? Have you cut the trip short for some reason?" Renesmee knew what Isle Esme meant to her father and mother. It was the place where she'd been conceived, for one thing, and their unbreakable bond had been further strengthened by their marriage and the time they'd originally spent on the island together.

"Yes, well…. Yes."

"Daddy, what is it?"

"Nessie, your mother and I have to speak to you about a matter of the utmost importance." Edward stared into Bella's depthless eyes, his misery obvious.

"Daddy? Momma?" Renesmee was becoming alarmed.

"Sit, Nessie, and we will talk." Bella took her daughter's hand and that of her husband, and the three of them huddled together on the tiny bed in the dorm room. It all seemed so normal, a family visit, and yet, with the Cullen family, there was never anything so simple.

"Nessie, do you remember when the Volturi came and all our friends gathered with us because the ancients were under the mistaken impression that you were an illegal immortal child, something we are expressly forbidden to create by our laws as vampires?"

"Yes, I remember." Nessie remembered her family almost being destroyed, and the hatred she felt for the Volturi. While most vampires feared them, she, who was not fully a vampire, but half human, did not fear them. Her loathing was clear and abiding.

"Well, we received a call from Calisle. Aro paid them a visit in Forks."

"What do they want now?" Her voice was quiet as she read what was behind her parents' eyes. She had made it her goal in life to try and be as normal as possible, to allow herself to interact with humans in every way possible, and yet she could not deny the powers that made her beyond human. Her parents sat watching her face as her many emotions flashed there so quickly, then an understanding bloomed there. She knew what was behind their eyes.

"Me. They want me."

"They want you to come to Volterra…. For a short time."

"And for what?" Her alarm was quickly turning to anger.

"As the 'royal family' of our world, Renesmee, it is their right and privilege to request the presence of any of us at any time." Bella spoke softly. "They are to be respected."

"Oh, yes, Momma. They are to be respected, they are to be _feared, _for the harm they can do the ones we love." Renesmee repeated the words she had been taught over the years by her parents. She knew how they felt about the Volturi, the hatred they too felt for the ancient ones who sat in judgment of them all. "It doesn't matter. I won't go."

As he watched Nessie's face set into the familiar stubborn expression that he knew so well in her mother, Edward sighed, relieved.

"Of course not, Nessie. Of course not."

"Then what will I do, Daddy? I can't just stay here and wait for them to find me. I'd be a sitting duck."

"You will be going away, Nessie. We all will. To keep you safe."

Renesmee threw herself into the arms of her parents. She had every reason to believe that they were vastly capable of keeping her safe. No, she _knew_ it the way she knew everything else in her world. She had begun to take on the talents of all of her family before before her first birthday, as if they'd been contagious. She now knew her own future as surely as Aunt Alice did. It went to a point and then disappeared all together. Jacob would be involved. She wondered if now was the time to tell her parents about her further talents. No. Not yet.

The plane landed in Seattle to be met by Carlisle and Esme. Looks were exchanged, messages flew from mind to mind, but not a word was spoken as they began their journey back to Forks, Washington, where it had all begun, and where it might very well all end.


	5. Chapter 5 Charlie in the Dark

Chapter 5

"Hey, Edward. Hey Bella." Emmett met them as they came up the driveway to the Cullen house. "Hey, sweet Nessie." Renesmee ran to her uncle and they hugged tightly.

"Emmett, when did you and Rose get back?" Esme laughed as Emmett reached to tickle his niece.

"Oh, Rose isn't back."

"She's not? Why?"

"Well, she's mad at me. At all of us, actually. She decided to stay in Europe for a while longer, to _think_, she says."

"And does Rose actually think when she's _thinking_, or is she shopping or something?" Edward smirked at his older brother. There was still friction between Edward and Rose, in spite of the closeness they shared when Renesmee had been born. He supposed it would always be that way.

"Well, she _is_ mad, Edward."

"And why is that?"

"Because no one bothered to let us know about what was going on with the Volturi." Emmett scowled as he continued. "We had to find out from _nomads _on a stopover in London."

"I'm sorry, Emmett, but there wasn't time to send out an alarm. We've just returned ourselves, and Carlisle and Esme have been consulting with friends to see what would be the best way to handle this mess."

"Emmett, please." Bella sighed and shook her head, disbelieving. "Call Rose and tell her to get home. It's no time for childish tantrums. We've got to figure this out."

"All right, Bella. I'll call." Emmett walked away, dialing his cell phone. "How about an arm wrestle later? It's been a while. Maybe you've finally lost some of your super-strength."

"Perhaps she has." Edward winked at Bella. He knew exactly what strength his wife had and had not lost. Emmett was in for another disappointment.

Emmett came back to the group after a short conversation with Rose. "What a sweetie my wife is. She is already on a flight home, and will be landing at SeaTac in a few hours. She is forgiving us all for our transgressions." His eyebrows flew up and down in a comical display.

Edward choked back a bark of laughter. Rose, forgiving?

Bella and Renesmee left later to visit Charlie and Sue. It had not been long since Bella had seen her father, but it had been months since Charlie had seen his beautiful granddaughter. He'd been overjoyed to learn that Nessie had come home for a surprise visit for her grandpa's anniversary with Sue. Neither Bella nor Nessie would correct that misconception, but it did save some embarrassment and allow them to make a mad dash to Port Angeles for a gift. The anniversary was tomorrow but since Charlie and Sue had plans to go away for a long weekend, they'd be doing their family celebrating tonight. The couple had been married for three years, three very happy years, in spite of Charlie's having completely lost touch with his oldest friend, Billy Black. Billy had been interested in Sue himself, but figured he had all the time in the world. He had not paid much attention to the fact that Charlie had been spending time with her as well, several months after she became Harry's widow. When Sue told him that she wouldn't be spending so much time on the reservation because of the seriousness of her relationship with Charlie (he had proposed and she'd accepted), Billy had secluded himself in his small home and hardly anyone had seen him since. Charlie was sad about losing his friend but didn't see any way to fix it all yet. Maybe someday.

"Dad, Sue, congratulations!" Bella smiled as Renesmee presented them with the gift that had been from the entire Cullen family. "Three years…. Wow."

"Yeah, Bells." Charlie sighed, rubbing his stomach. "It's been a wonderful three years too. I don't think I ever ate so good. Look, I'm getting fat."

"Oh, Dad…. That's old age creeping up on you. I'm not fooled a bit." Bella teased and laughed at the slight spare tire her father had acquired in the time that he'd been with Sue.

"Yeah.. yeah."

"Oh, Momma, grandpa isn't fat!" Resnesmee could still snuggle in Charlie's lap, as small as she still was. It was hard sometimes to realize that her daughter was actually a young woman in all ways except her size. They'd all assumed that Nessie was fully grown since she hadn't grown any in the past year, and,from a distance, she appeared still a child.

Bella's mind wandered as she listened to her daughter and Charlie prattle on about news each had for the other from the past few months. She had yet to tell Charlie that they'd be leaving in a day or so again, and this time they wouldn't know how long they'd be gone. It was strictly need to know with Charlie and Bella was more than sure that she should not tell him that his only granddaughter might be in danger. The Volturi was one of those things that Charlie had no desire to know about, which was best for his own health as well. If they should ever come through Forks and find that another mortal knew of them, there would be more hell to pay. There was no way that Bella would allow her father to be killed by the Volturi. She would not hesitate to protect her family with her life if need be.

"Night, Dad. We'll see you again soon."

They had not had an opportunity to get Charlie alone so they could tell him about their leaving, and Bella hesitated to tell him in front of Sue. She still had close ties to the reservation, including her two children, Seth and Leah, who were hardly children any longer. If they should get wind of what was going on with Renesmee, with the pack mind, there would be no way to keep Jacob from knowing what was going on. As it was, Bella dreaded taking Nessie out to the reservation the following day, but there was no way that she could allow her daughter to be in Forks and not see Jacob. It would raise even more suspicion than might be raised by their visit.

As they drove home late that evening, Nessie slept in the passenger seat. Bella hated to wake her when it was time to go into the house, but Nessie didn't even stir when the car came to a stop. She led her daughter into the house and put her to bed in one of the spare rooms upstairs. She did not need to even glance around to know that Edward was waiting for her at their little dream cottage across the river. Jasper followed her to the glass door, smiling as he watched her cross the meadow/yard and then leap enthusiastically and easily over the river. She always felt so at home here, as if there were where she'd been meant to be her entire life. She turned and smiled in thanks at Jasper just before stepping through the door of the cottage.

Shared thoughts were always a treat for Edward, and the effort distracted them both until their passion overwhelmed again. It was a peaceful night, thanks to Jasper's calming gift. Well, not completely. In spite of her being a vampire now, she was still as dazzled by Edward as ever.


	6. Chapter 6 More Deceit

"There is no way, Carlisle." Rose pouted and flung the book she was reading to the floor. "I am not running interference for Bella and Edward again. I'm sick of everything bad that happens to us being because of that union. I mean, really. You can't –"

"Yes, Rose, I can." Carlisle frowned harshly at the young girl. "And I will. You and Emmett will be ready to go tomorrow morning."

"But –"

"No buts." He spoke quietly but firmly, his authority ringing in his voice. He was the head of this family and he would not have such a breech in family. He'd worked too hard, they'd all worked too hard, to allow the Volturi to attempt to bring their life crashing down about their ears.

There was absolute quiet in the front room when Edward and Bella came through. They both took in the tense expressions on the faces of their family and knew something had happened.

"What?" Bella was alarmed.

"Carlisle-" Edward began.

"Where's Renesmee?" they both spoke in the same breath.

A giggle came from the top of the stairs. Nessie stood smiling down at her parents. Relief was written on their faces when they realized she'd just been sleeping.

"Daddy, I think I've caused a problem."

"And what would that be, Nessie?"

"Aunt Rose is mad at me?" She turned her full charming smile on Rose, who could never resist Renesmee.

Edward rushed to his daughter's side as she came down the stairs, then turned a dark scowl on his "sister." Rose stuck out her tongue.

"It has nothing to do with you, Nessie. Sweety, please forgive me. I'm just a bit frustrated right now." Rosalie smiled at Renesmee, regretting her outburst. "I just got back from Europe and don't want to have to take off for parts unknown right away. I will, though. Anything for you. Always. You know that."

"Yes, Aunt Rose, I know." Nessie had been slowly making her way down the stairs as Rose spoke. The smile that broke out on her face was radiant. She was always happy when her family was happy and the opposite when they were not. Their feelings always affected her. She stopped and knelt in front of Rosalie. "I love you, Aunt Rose. Forever."

"And I love you, sweet Nessie, with all my heart." Rose smiled and sighed. "I guess we'll be taking off soon."

In the afternoon, Bella followed through with her plan to take Renesmee to the reservation to see Jacob. Nessie's face was fairly glowing with happiness as they drove to the tiny house Jacob shared with his father, Billy Black. His sister, Rachel, had come home from school and stayed for a while, longer than she had ever stayed since their mother had died. There was a reason for her staying besides her family. Paul, a member of Jacob's pack, had imprinted on her and they only had eyes for each other from that moment on. Bella noticed that Rachel's car wasn't at the house as they drove into the driveway. Maybe Rachel had gotten a job.

As if he sensed that there was company and exactly who that company was, Jacob came barreling out of the front door, his smile brilliantly white in his russet face. If there were any doubt whether he was glad to see them, it didn't exist anymore.

"Hey, Bells……. Aww, Nessie, come here, darlin'!" He swept Nessie off her feet in a bear hug that sent Nessie's breath out in a whoosh. She fought playfully to get away from him.

"Jake, let me go. I can't breathe!" She laughed breathlessly. He immediately deposited her back on her feet.

"Hi, Jake, how are you?" Bella smiled at their display of affection. It had been hard to accept at first, but she now was certain that Nessie and Jake were meant to be together and to see them together reaffirmed her certainty every time.

"I'm fine, Bells. How you doin'?" Jake grinned happily, keeping one arm wrapped around Nessie's tiny shoulders. He looked so much like a giant next to her.

"Doing ok. We were coming back from Isle Esme and stopped off to bring Nessie along. I know it's been months since you've seen each other." Bella smiled at her best friend in the "real" world. She still differentiated between her vampire and human worlds this way. Alice was her best friend in the other world. She sighed. So complicated sometimes.

"Yeah, it has been a while." Jake smiled down at Nessie, his love beaming from his face. "But, hey, little girl, why did you leave school now? Aren't you in the middle of exams?"

Bella and Nessie exchanged glanced quickly, then looked away from each other.

"So, hey, Jake, did Rachel get a job? I noticed her car isn't here." Bella was trying to change the subject and Jake knew it.

"Nah, she moved in with Paul a couple of weeks ago. Billy about blew a a gasket." Jake looked from Bella to Nessie, his eyes narrowed.

"Oooo, I bet he did!" Nessie giggled. She knew how Billy could be at times.

"I don't know why, though. They're planning on getting married in a few months. They haven't set a date yet, but the way they're all over each other, they gotta do something, and fast." Jake laughed his big growly laugh.

"Oh, wow, Jake, that's great. Please tell them I wish them happiness." Bella's smile was slight, knowing that Jake would not let her off the hook that easily. They weren't done with the subject of Nessie and why she was here.

Jake watched the two women in front of him. Bella stood still, as only a vampire could. Nessie looked uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"Ok, what's going on?"

"What? What do you mean, Jake?" Bella pulled the blank face, another vampire thing.

"Aw, come on, Bella. I want to know what's going on."

"What's going on? Nothing's going on, as far as I know."

"Bella, you can pull that blank vampire face all you want, but you were always a terrible liar, and still are." Jake had a half-hearted grin on his face, teasing yet so very serious.

Bella looked to Nessie for help and got none.

"Jake, we stopped by to see Nessie at school and she wanted to come home to see you and the rest of her family. What is so wrong with that?" Bella felt her frustration rising, and with it came some anger.

"Yeah, Jake, I wanted to see you!" Nessie jumped into his arms and kissed him soundly on the lips. For a moment, Jacob was totally distracted. Nessie could do that.

"There is still something else going on. You wouldn't leave school right in the middle of exams."

"Jake, I got permission. I can even take my exams later." Nessie smiled, still in Jake's arms. "Can't you just be happy that I'm here to see you? Please?"

Jacob Black's heart melted as he looked down and drowned in Nessie's bottomless chocolate-brown eyes. Bella's eyes. He sighed.

"Ok, ok. I won't push it for now."

Both the women looked relieved, too relieved. Jake knew something was going on and he'd get to the bottom of it. But later. His Nessie was here now and suddenly, nothing else seemed to matter.

Bella was just thrilled that Jacob had actually let it all pass so easily. She thought that, once he figured out that something was going on, he'd be like a dog with a bone, never letting go until he got what he wanted. She and Nessie followed Jacob into the small house. It would be good to see Billy again. Her father might not have as close a relationship with Billy as he once had, but Billy was still a part of Bella's life, through Jacob. And, he would someday be Nessie's father-in-law. Sometimes, it was a shock to Bella, that realization, and it was almost unbelievable again. Almost.

Jacob didn't say much when they got ready to leave. It was almost dark, and he knew that Edward would be worrying about his wife and daughter. He always would. Some things never changed. Bella's cell phone had rung as they were getting into the car and she knew it was Edward.

"Hi, Edward." She smiled, knowing that while he couldn't see it, he'd hear it in her voice.

His voice was somewhat subdued. "Are you enjoying your visit with the Blacks?"

"Yes, Edward, I am. Both of us are. But we're just getting into the car to head home. I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Yes. I'll be waiting." He'd hung up. Bella wondered what sort of mood he was in, then turned her attention back to Jacob, who was standing by the car, waiting patiently. Rare for Jacob. Very rare.

"Well, Jake, we'll see you soon, ok?" Bella smiled.

"Yeah, sure, sure." He grinned as Nessie came into his arms for a hug and kiss. "I'm already missing you."

Bella felt a small shock of apprehension. Did Jacob sense something? Had she given away anything to indicate that they would do anything other than truly see him soon? She didn't think so.

"I love you, Jacob Black." Nessie said solemnly.

"I love you too, Nessie Cullen." Jacob grinned, but the words were just as serious as hers had been. He took her hand in his. "So small, so soft. I just want to protect you from everything, Nessie."

There was a flush of happiness in Nessie's face. "We'll see you, Jake, ok? Don't miss me too much." Her grin matched his.

"Sure, sure." Jake looked down as his smile faltered. He seemed to almost fight tears for a moment, then raised clear eyes to Bella. "Take care of our girl, Bella."

"I will, Jake. I will." She whispered fiercely, then got into the driver's seat of the car. Nessie half-skipped around to her door, then waved as she got in. Jake stood watching the road long after the dust from their leaving was gone. He felt uneasy, unsatisfied, as if something had been left half-finished. Oh well, he'd talk to Bella about it later. After all, they were best friends and told each other everything.


	7. Chapter 7 A Plan and a Realization

The rest of the night and into the following morning, the Cullens huddled together in the spacious living room of their home, planning and re-planning, making plans and discarding them as quickly as they had been made. No one had any real ideas how to go about avoiding the Volturi and staying under their "radar" for an extended period of time. It was a frustrating time for them all.

Their discussion had gone the way most extended conversations between the Cullens, quickly turning in the shorthand of their normal conversations, with some mind communications at times.

"That sounds good in theory, Emmett, but I'm afraid storming the city of Volterra and trying to annihilate the Volturi in their home wouldn't work." Edward's frustration caused more sarcasm to come across in his voice than he intended. "We'd be out-numbered, as you well know."

"Stay outta my head, Edward. God, I'm getting a headache trying to think here." Emmett stood and stalked away from where his family sat.

"Yes, Edward, stay out of his head." Rosalie said, coldly, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "At least we did stay to help out. Personally, I'd much rather be in South America." She and Emmett looked longingly at each other.

"Ok, Rose, I know, I know. You're making the great sacrifice by helping family out here. It's not something you do on a regular basis, so we know what a sacrifice it is." Bella was exhausted and half-snarled at her sister-in-law, making her own sarcasm more than obvious. Rose could be a real pain at times, and they were all tired at this point.

"Bella, I'm sorry, but this bickering isn't getting us anywhere and it needs to stop," Carlisle sighed. "And Rose, we know exactly what you're giving up by doing this for the family, and I'm sorry that –" He stopped in the middle of the thought. "Wait a minute."

"Carlisle?" Esme turned a worried face to him. "Carlisle, are you ok? What's going on?"

"I think I've got an idea that might work!" Carlisle turned a radiant smile to his wife as he spoke to the room.

"Well, tell us!" She stared at him, waiting.

"Yeah, Carlisle, talk, man! We need a plan!" Emmett jumped up from his seat in anticipation.

Bella and Edward exchanged a relieved look. If Carlisle had come up with a plan to save Nessie, then it was a plan that would actually work. Carlisle knew the Volturi intimately and if anyone could come up with a plan to outwit them, it would be Carlisle. One only needed to know one's enemy intimately, and this case, Carlisle knew what they were facing. Having lived so closely with them for years, no one knew them better than he, or understood the workings of their minds.

Alice smiled a brilliant smile that spread to everyone in the in the room, bright with the assurance that the plan would indeed work.

"Ok, everyone, give me a minute to work this through in my mind!" Even Carlisle, who was never ruffled or flustered by anything, had to regroup before he could explain the seed of an idea that had just occurred to him.

"Good morning, everyone." Nessie smiled sweetly as she came down the stairs, still in her pajamas. Her family all smiled at the sweet face that was still half-sleepy. Nessie was the only Cullen who could sleep, and no one begrudged her that.

"Of course, it would be Grandpa Carlisle's idea." She giggled as she went to Carlisle and snuggled into his side. "You're so smart, Grandpa."

"Ok, now……. Let's see if I can explain this all right." Carlisle spoke hesitantly, still thinking. "First off, Nessie, when was the last time you saw or spoke to Nahuel?"

"Well, I spoke to him just a couple of days ago. As a matter of fact, I was on the phone with him when Momma and Daddy showed up on their stopover to pick me up."

"Ok, that's good. Now…… did anyone other than family know that you talked to him on a regular basis, or who he was or whatever?"

"No, there was no one that I discussed my relationships with, not there at the school, and absolutely no one other than family." Nessie said, solemnly. In that moment, her family realized just how lonely her time away from the family was for Nessie, not being able to talk about her family with anyone, or have any really close friends, for fear that people would know too much. Edward and Bella exchanged worried and painfully understanding looks. Neither now begrudged the girl whatever relationship she did have with the Latin boy.

"Oh, good, then." Carlisle hugged his granddaughter closer to his side. "I think I might have come up with a way to get Nessie out of sight for a while and maybe give her chance to spend some time with Nahuel as well."

Nessie didn't speak, but her excitement was obvious. She was beginning to see where her grandfather was going with this.

"Carlisle, what are you thinking?" Edward stood and walked toward the large windows at the back of the house, stopping to stare out at the new day. The sun would not be out today. Typical for the Olympic Peninsula. He raked his fingers through hair that was already in disarray.

"Well, what if we sent Bella, Edward and Nessie to visit with Nahuel and his aunt, particularly his aunt in their old village?"

"You mean, just go there and spend some time until the Volturi maybe forgets or until Aro gets distracted and moves on to another pet project?" Bella said quietly. "_If _he gets distracted."

"Yes, Bella, that's it." Carlisle smiled. "The village is far enough off the beaten path, and there's very little in the way of communication or even modern conveniences. You'd have to rough it for a while."

"And the rest of us? Where do we figure into this plan?" Jasper had been quiet up to this point and watched Carlisle closely.

'The rest of us will scatter to the four winds, Jasper." Carlisle watched the faces of his family to gage their reactions.

"Ok, so we'll all go different places?" Alice asked, then added, "Do you have a plan for where we go or are we just splitting up and traveling?"

"Oh, that's beauty of it, Alice. You pick where to go, and don't any of you tell the others where you will be." Carlisle explained. "We will each have a special untraceable cell phone that we only use in communication with each other, and we will have special signals and codes that only we will know. That way, if someone gets a hold of one of the cells, the others will know not to respond if a caller deviates from the plan in the slightest."

"It sounds wonderful, Carlisle." Esme smiled kindly at her husband.

"Yup, good plan." Emmett laughed. "I think it will work just fine."

" I _know _it will." Alice's smile beamed and relief showed on her face. Jasper reached for her hand and patted it. Seeing her less worried improved his mood, as always.

"Ok, let's go out to the garage and start gathering up what we will need in the way of equipment." Carlisle spoke to the men. "Edward, Jasper and Emmett, come with me. Ladies, you will do whatever packing you must do, as far as clothing and supplies go. Remember to pack in anticipation of an extended stay. After all, we don't know how long it will be before Aro loses interest or whatever. If Caius and Marcus get all hyped up about it, then it will be anyone's guess as to how long it will take to pull this off."

"And our not knowing where the others are insures that we cannot be forced or coerced into giving anyone one up if Aro decides to force the issue." Edward spoke thoughtfully, saying what every other mind in the room was thinking at the moment.

"Yes, that's it, Edward." Carlisle smiled at his youngest son, who was beginning to show an inkling of hope that the plan might actually work. He turned to Esme. "Now, Esme, you call the pilot and arrange for the plane to be fueled up and ready to go. There's no need to give him any further information right now. Just tell him it's urgent and that I will fill him as soon as I can.

"Thank you, Carlisle, for taking us through the fire again." Bella smiled in relief as she and Edward joined hands and kissed before he started to the garage. Then her face paled even more than normal.

"Bella? What's wrong?" Edward put his arm around her waist to keep her from collapsing if she was going to.

Bella turned to stare at Edward.

"Oh, my God, Edward. Charlie. And Jacob."

"What of them?" His face showed his confusion and then understanding as Bella went on.

"Oh, Edward, what am I going to tell Charlie? _And Jacob? How will I explain this without endangering them, as well as all of us?"_

The Cullen family stood staring at each other. No one knew what to say.


	8. Chapter 8 New Fear

Both Charlie and Jacob had to be told and Bella dreaded it more than anything she had ever had to do. How would she explain their sudden need to leave Forks after only being here a couple of days? What would she tell them when they asked how long they'd be away? When Bella asked Edward for a bit of help in coming up with a plausible story, she had a flashback to when she had asked him to help her come up with something to tell Charlie to explain the three days Bella had been gone while "rescuing" him from killing himself or having the Volturi do it for him. He shrugged now as he had shrugged then.

"I was sort of hoping you'd thought of something." He gave his wife a half of the crooked grin that she loved so much, letting her know that he, too, was thinking of another time when he had no ideas. "I'm sorry, Bella. All of this is just so unbelieveable, I am just not coming up with anything. I'm sorry I can't be more help."

"Oh, Edward, how well I remember that you have trouble coming up with stories for Charlie." Bella turned to place the pile of clothes in Renesmee's suitcase. She still preferred that her mother pack for her. Bella shook her head at the thought. Their daughter was still a child in so many ways.

"So, do you have any ideas?" He said, hopefully. "You're not really that great at lying, you know."

Bella scowled at her husband. She knew she didn't lie very well.

"I'm thinking that if I stick to something that is near the truth, I won't have as much trouble."

"Bella! You're not going to tell them about the Volturi, are you?" Edward's face registered the shock. "We don't really know how Jacob will react, with his volatile emotions right now, or Charlie either for that matter. He's prone to being emotional as well, and not necessarily in a positive way."

"No, Edward, no." Bella sighed as she sat on the bed. "I know I can't tell them, but I have to come up with something that lets them know that it's urgent that we get away, but not really convey the danger that may be involved. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Edward studied his wife's face for a long moment. He went to stand next to her and placed his palm against her cheek. "Yes, Bella, I see what you're saying, but exactly what are you going to say?"

"Just don't worry about it, Edward. I've got it covered, and it will work." Bella put her hand over his on her cheek. "It has to. Do you want to come along when I talk to them?"

"Yes, I think I better come." Edward looked serious. "You may need my help more than you know."

"Oh, Edward, neither Jacob or my dad would do anything to put me in danger."

"I know, Bella, but I will feel more…comfortable…..knowing that I am there in case something doesn't go right."

"Then let's tell the others we're leaving and get going. We don't have a lot of time, and I want to make sure Nessie gets some rest before we leave so early in the morning. It seems funny to say it but I will feel much better when we are away from where anyone knows us, safer some how."

"I know what you mean, love."

Edward took Bella's hand and led her out of the cottage. They bounded over the river easily and headed for the Cullen home. Neither looked forward to the next few hours but both wanted it over and done with.

Renesmee sat at the edge of the river, concealed by low trees and underbrush, watching as her parents crossed the river from their tiny home. She knew what they were up to today. There could be nothing else at this point. Time was running out and, this time in order to protect her, the Cullens had chosen to run instead of turning and fighting the enemy that marched on them. It was totally her fault that her entire family was being uprooted for who knew how long, and the pain that this realization brought was steady and persistent now. She had been racking her brain to try and figure out a way to fix this mess, so much so that that her powerful mind was really nothing more than a jumbled circle of thoughts that kept going around and around in her head.

As she continued to sit there, her misery grew. Was there no hope?

She suddenly jumped to her feet. Of course there was hope. As her plan quickly came together in her mind, she smiled. _She _was that hope.

Resnesmee quickly ran for her grandparents' home. Looking around, she saw no one as she slipped into the garage at the back of the house.

"Edward, I need to speak to Nessie before we leave." Bella sighed as she gathered her things to put in the car. " I don't think that her being there when we talk to Charlie will make that much difference. Although, it could be the difference between whether or not Charlie kills me or not."

A soft chuckle came from Edward. "I hope it's not going to be that bad, Bella." His crooked smile made her forget where she was for a second.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Hmm-"

"Well, you look in the house and I will take a look outside. I'm sure she's probably out wandering around the woods somewhere."

Bella nodded as they walked off in different directions to find their daughter. Her first thought was to find Esme. Nessie seemed to gravitate to the kind and loving vampire matriarch.

Five minutes later she came tearing down the stairs to find Edward coming in from outside so quickly that he almost ripped the door from its hinges.

"Bella! Bella, Nessie isn't here. She's gone." His eyes were filled with a fear that she'd not seen there in a very long time.

"Well, she has to be here somewhere. Vampires can't fly off. Wait….. they can't, right?"

"No, of course not, but Bella! She's not here."

"And how do you know that for certain?"

"Alice's Porche is gone."

Edward and Bella stood in the waning sunlight shining through the windows of the Cullen house, immobilized and staring at one another. Their fear had paralyzed them at this moment as it never had before.

Their daughter was gone.


	9. Chapter 9 Volterra

**I haven't been around much lately, due to my mother's illness and hospitalization. I hope to keep updating as I can, but I hope you will bear with me if it seems overly long between updates. You know, mommy comes first. **

**I haven't actively asked for reviews b/c I'm just writing this for my own enjoyment, just sort of rambling around and playing with the way the story might go. I hope this doesn't sound egotistical, that I haven't asked for reviews. Reviews are fine. Just be kind, ok?**

**Thanks so much for reading.**

"Well, that more or less solves the problem of talking to Charlie." Bella sighed. "For now, at least."

"They've left for their trip?" Edward watched his wife pace back and forth in front of the wall of windows. "So, how will we handle it now?"

"I won't. At least until we find Renesmee. There is no point in upsetting anyone until we know where she is and how we proceed from finding her."

Edward nodded, then turned toward the door. "Carlisle and the others are coming back."

Carlisle slipped quietly through the glass doors, followed by the rest of the family, except for Emmett and Jasper..

"Did you find anything, Carlisle?"

"Yes. We found some clues as to where Nessie was heading. Jasper and Emmett are following her scent right now. Unfortunately, it's leading to Seattle, quiet possibly the airport." Carlisle lowered his eyes after glancing at Esme. Pain was etched in both their faces.

"Oh, my god..... the airport?" Bella closed her eyes and frowned deeply. "What are we going to do? How will we ever find her, Edward? Where could she be going?"

Carlisle looked uncomfortable as he glanced from Bella to Edward.

"I think I may have an idea of where she's headed." He spoke quietly.

Everyone snapped to attention watching their "father." Carlisle moved forward to put an arm around Bella's shoulder in a consoling gesture.

"I believe Nessie has gone to Volterra, and she's gone to meet the Volturi headon, to protect us all from the danger that we might have faced."

"Well, there's going to be even more danger." Emmett entered the house with Jasper on his heels. "Of course, we'll be headed to Volterra?"

"There's no question of that." Carlisle spoke softly, yet firmly. "Nessie is one of us. We protect and defend our own."

"We're going to Volterra??" Bella's face went even more pale if that was possible. The memories of their last trip to Volterra were still fresh in her mind. The horror was something she'd never forget, if she existed for a million years.

"No, Bella. I am going." Edward spoke quietly.

"We don't know that that's where Nessie went." Rose protested, slumping into a chair.

"Yes, Rose, we do." Emmett went to stand behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We do. A ticket was charged on her credit card. One-way to Italy." He had just gotten back from running all the way to Seattle.

"One way?" Edward gasped, reaching for Bella's hand.

The Cullens stared quietly at each other. Knowing the risks, the danger, the possible outcomes, would not deter them. As Carlisle had said, Nessie was one of their own.

As Edward and Bella turned to go up the stairs there was a knock at the door. Their eyes turned to the door together.

"Jacob." Edward gasped, a stricken look on his face. It was the worst possible time for the werewolf to show up.

Carlisle met their visitor at the door, moving aside as Jacob strode into the room.

"Hey, Bella. So, what's up? You've been here all this time and never came back to see me." He put his hands on his hips, glancing around the room.

"Well, Jacob... um... we've been sort of busy." If Bella could have blushed, she would have been bright scarlet from the lies she was beginning to tell.

"Oh yeah? So, what's been going on?"

"Well, we had visitors for one thing." Never mind that members of the vampire "royal" family had shown up for their impromptu visit before most of the Cullens had even come home. It was that visit that had gotten them in the mess they were now in. Bella cast a desperate look in Edward's direction.

"Who?" Jacob asked, warily, almost afraid to ask about any visitors the vampires had.

"The Volturi." Bella grimaced. "Never a good thing."

"Those creeps that we almost fought with out in the woods that time?"

"Yeah, the same."

"What the hell did they want?"

"Jacob, it doesn't matter what they wanted." Edward spoke for the first time. "They have left Forks, leaving it mostly intact. That's the important thing."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Jacob grinned, remember the almost-battle with no small amount of glee. "It was too bad we didn't get really up close and personal with them."

"No kidding, dude." Emmett had his own grin. "It would have been some battle."

"OK, let's forget the almost-war, guys." Bella, sighed. "We have more important things to worry about."

"Such as?" Jacob was immediately on alert. "I knew something was going on. You can't hide things from me, Bella."

"OK, Jacob. Look..... I don't know how to say this except to just come out with it." Bella sighed, suddenly feeling almost tired. "Renesmee is gone."

"She's _what?"_

"She's gone, Jacob." Edward said. "She simply took off in Alice's car just a while ago."

"Well, why on earth - - and you haven't even started looking for her? Gone after her?" Jacob flushed angrily.

"Calm down, Jacob." Edward frowned in Jacob's direction. "There was no catching her. By the time Emmett had gotten to SeaTac, her plane had already taken off."

"And just where the hell was she going?" Jacob paced, then stepped toward Edward, forgetting his natural caution when approaching any of the vampires.

"She's gone to Italy." Bella spoke glumly, all the spirit seeming to have drained out of her in the midst of this conversation.

"To Italy? Why??"

"She thinks to prevent something horrible from happening to our family by going there on her own and submitting to the Volturi." Edward said. "And she is so wrong. I'm going to follow her and try to stop her. My flight leaves in 2 hours."

"Well, I'm coming with you!"

"No, Jacob. You can't -"

"The hell I can't. This is the woman I love we're talking about here. Nessie. I'm going." The forcefulness of his voice made Edward give up any hope of discouraging him from making the trip with him. He lifted his arms, shrugging resignedly.

"I'm going to the cottage to throw a few things in a bag." Edward headed for the door.

"I'll come and help." Bella followed her husband.

"Guess I better head home and prepare the old man. Good thing he's used to me taking off on these spur-of-the-moment jaunts." Jacob spoke half to himself, then followed the others out the door.

He and Edward were headed to Volterra. He hoped they'd survive.


	10. Chapter 10 Nessie Meets the Volturi

"Why the hell is it so quiet in here?" Jacob's voice echoed in the cavernous chamber.

"I don't know." Edward spoke solemnly, listening with his heightened hearing and hearing nothing. "The fact that there was no one in the reception area is highly suspect. The entrance is never left unattended for even a second."

"Well, something's not right. Do you smell it?"

"The blood? Yes." Edward spoke as they cautiously approached the door to the inner chamber, where Aro, Caius and Marcus held court, passed judgment and meted out punishment, usually something very painful and gory. He held his hand to the door and felt no one beyond it. No one living anyway.

Opening the door, they quickly made their way into the darkened chamber.

"Wait." Jacob held up his hand to stop Edward. "Did you hear that?"

Before Edward could answer, the sound came again. A faint groan from a corner of the room.

"Who's there?" Jacob spoke loudly, showing no fear now.

"Jacob?" The voice was almost a whisper.

"Nessie?"

"Renesmee....."

"Daddy?" Tears choked her.

Both vampire and werewolf rushed to the corner of the room where they could see Renesmee lying in a pool of blood.

"Oh my God, Nessie....... what happened? Who did this to you?" Jacob was frantically looking for her wounds so he could attempt to staunch the flow of blood.

"Jacob... no.... no, it's not my blood."

"Not yours? Then whose?"

"Renesmee, what happened here? Where is everyone?" Edward frowned, checking his daughter from head to toe for injuries.

"They're gone, Daddy."

"Gone?"

"Those who didn't die, fled." She forced a small laugh with great effort.

"What on earth happened? Were you all attacked? By whom?" Edward was still checking Renesmee to see how badly she might be injured. So far, he had found no injuries at all. Strange.

"Nessie, what are you talking about? Did they try to hurt you?" Jacob was becoming impatient with not knowing what was going on.

"Well, there was an attack....." She began as she tried to sit up. "There's nothing wrong with me, Daddy. You and Jacob have nothing to worry about. I'm just exhausted...... from all the power I've expended."

"Tell us what went on here." Edward watched his daughter carefully, wary of what he was about to hear.

"Well, I came here to confront the Volturi, so that you and Mommy and the rest of the family wouldn't feel that you had to put yourselves in danger."

"Renesmee, you know -"

"Wait, Daddy, let me finish."

"All right." He sighed.

"Anyway, I asked for an audience and I was brought before Aro, Caius and Marcus, as I said. Aro seemed excited and almost beside himself with happiness that I had come to them of my own choice. The little girl, Jane, was there, and I had a feeling that she was extremely jealous that her master was pleased to see me. I could see a look in her eyes as she glared at me. It wasn't long before I began to feel the pain that mommy told me she made you feel before."

"I will kill them all." Edward spoke quietly, his voice dangerously like a growl.

"No, Daddy, no. You don't have to." Nessie said, tearfully. "I don't know exactly what happened but I faced Jane and simply pointed at her and somehow her "gift" was turned back on her and she began to writhe in pain, even falling to the floor. She'd lost control and could not stop the power she was putting out, because it had been directed back to her, and it began to spread to the others in the room. Then she began trying to bite everyone. It was like she'd gone rabid or something. Aro ordered Felix to stop her and when he couldn't control her, he took out a dagger and cut off her head! Her brother Alex attacked Felix and they mortally wounded each other. Alex was decapitated. Oh, Daddy, it was horrible!" Edward held his daughter close to him, refusing to even allow Jacob to take her.

Nessie covered her face with her hands, her thoughts overwhelming her. "After that, everything sort of began to go even more crazy. Everyone acted afraid of me. They rushed me as if they were going to hurt me or kill me even. I was afraid.......so afraid. I raised my hands and pointed to each of them and all of a sudden they just began to melt into puddles of gooey gunk. It was like they'd been exposed to the sun like the old made-up stories of vampires of a long time ago." She shuddered as she remembered. "I saw Aro, Caius and Marcus slip out of the room. I don't know where they are now. Daddy, I'm scared. I don't know what this thing is that I did."

"But Nessie, where did all the blood come from?" Edward was still in shock from all his daughter had told him. Jacob was walking around the room looking at what once was the mighty Volturi. It was astounding.

"Oh, the receptionist was human." Nessie said, shrugging. "She came running in with a dagger raised in her hand to kill me. I guess she was upset because I'd ruined her chance of ever becoming a part of the guard. The sad thing is, she never would have. I'd heard Felix saying that she would be included in the next group of humans that were brought in to feed the Volturi. They were looking for a new face at the front desk. Felix and Heidi were joking about it. Anyway, I wrestled the dagger away from her, and in our wrestling around, she fell on the dagger and died. It's her blood all over me and the floor."

"Oh my God, Nessie!" Jacob rushed to her side and held her tightly in his arms. "I am so sorry you and to go through this, but what a way to find out about your new powers. You pack quite a wallop, little girl."

Edward grinned at his daughter. "I always knew you would be special, Renesmee, from the moment I lifted you from your mother's womb. It would seem that you have absorbed a great many talents and powers from us and others, but there are some things that are uniquely yours. You are amazing."

He stood and reached down to help his daughter to her feet.

"Come on, darling. Let's go home and tell your mother what an awesome daughter she has." He laughed, carefree for the first time in a long time. Nessie was in Jacob's arms and they were kissing like they hadn't seen each other in years. "And I suppose we'll be planning a wedding soon."

"Yeah, you will." Jacob smirked, then went back to kissing Nessie.

Edward smiled as he followed his daughter and her soon to be husband out of the darkness into the bright sun of the day.

In their haste to get away, none of the three felt that they were being watched.


	11. Chapter 11 A Happy Place

Back in Forks, the Cullen family were together again once Nessie, Edward and Jacob returned. There had been a great deal of discussion regarding what had happened in Volterra, though not very much understanding of it all. The display of the extent of Renesnee's powers was overwhelming, even to those who had not witnessed it themselves.

As the story was being related, Carlisle's eyes seem to fill more and more with excitement. So much to explore and find out, if possible. It would be an awesome undertaking.

"Renesmee, did you have any sort of hint before going to Volterra that you could do the sort of thing that you did with the Volturi guard?"

"No, not at all, Grandpa." Renesmee's voice was quiet. She had been very much subdued since her return from Volterra. Bella was worried and Edward had been constantly watching his daughter, afraid that there would be further fallout from the recent events. He knew it had to be nearly overwhelming emotionally for his young daughter. "I talked to Nahuel a few times, but we never discussed anything like this, like powers just all of a sudden manifesting."

"It's all right, dear." Esme smiled and caressed Resnesmee's hair. "Everything will work out. You'll see."

"I don't know. Aro, Caius and Marcus are still out there somewhere, and it scares me." Renesmee hid her face against Jacob's chest. The two had been inseparable since returning from Italy. Edward and Bella shared a look that said that they both understood what this meant. Renesmee's destiny was about to begin to be fulfilled.

"Well, I believe that, at the moment, those three are nothing for us to concern ourselves with." Carlisle glanced around the room. "I have lived with them. Without their guard, Aro, Caius and Marcus will simply become cowards. They are not going to come here and attack us alone."

"Carlisle, not all of the guard was accounted for in the -" Edward glanced at his daughter, then changed his words, "during what happened. Heidi was not present, for one. She must have been out hunting."

"Well, then, that's more to think about." Carlisle said, pacing along the glass wall. "But I still think that we don't have any immediate worries. They'll have to have some time to regroup, and of course, now that they know what Nessie can do, they'll be more hesitant about their approach."

Everyone nodded in agreement, some reluctantly. They would all most assuredly be watching over their shoulders for some time to come. The elders of the Volturi were still not creatures to underestimate, and the Cullens knew it.

"At the moment, though," Alice gave her pixie grin, "We have a wedding to plan."

"Oh, no." Bella groaned. "Renesmee, you may want to run. Right now."

"Oh, come on, Bella." Alice grimaced at her sister. "Just because you have an aversion to true taste in clothes and fashion in general, it doesn't mean that handicap has rubbed off on your daughter."

"I don't know, Aunt Alice." Renesmee smiled shyly at Jacob. "We may want to do things just a bit simpler than you have ideas for."

"Oh, pooh." Alice smirked, a sparkle in her eye. "We'll see about that."

As the little pixie turned and raced up the stairs to begin her schemes and plans, Edward sighed and Jasper shrugged helplessly.

"You may as well give in now, Renesmee." He smiled sadly. "It will save you a great deal of stress later. Ask your mother."

Edward went to Bella and took her hand. She smiled wryly and nodded. "It's true. Once Alice gets started, it's like having a steam roller run over you. You'll never stop her."

"I heard that!" Alice shouted from upstairs, and all the Cullens burst into laughter.

"Yeah, kiddo." Emmett put his arm around Rosalie, then shook his head and smiled at Nessie. "There's no hope for you now. Alice will be Alice."

Renesmee smiled up at Jacob. They knew that, no matter what plans Alice came up with, the basic declaration of their love would be when, where and how they wanted it to be. That was an inevitability that was unstoppable. She looked up at the clock. Just past midnight.

The Volturi might not be finished with the Cullens, but for now, the focus was on Nessie and Jacob. They were the hope for the future of the Cullen clan.

THE END

_****AN: I might be back sometime later to deal with those pesky leftover Volturi, but for now, I'll leave the Cullens in a happy place. Thanks for reading.**_


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